Floored Teen Out In Front

Amateur's 66 Equals Records

July 2, 2004|By Randall Mell Staff Writer

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. — Amateur Brittany Lincicome couldn't stop crying as she stumbled in a daze up the 15th fairway Thursday at the U.S. Women's Open.

This isn't unusual for an 18-year-old in the first round of her first appearance in the national championship, where the course setup is usually the meanest and most unforgiving test a young player has ever seen.

But this was fabulously different.

These were tears of joy streaming across her face.

Lincicome was overcome with emotion after holing a 7-iron from 125 yards for eagle during a stunning run to the top of the leaderboard at Orchards Golf Club. She was overwhelmed by the sheer improbability of the moment.

This precocious junior wasn't just leading the U.S. Women's Open the first time she teed it up in one. She was running away with the lead.

"Shocked," Lincicome said of her reaction. "I couldn't believe it. I was 3 under and went to 5 under, and I couldn't believe I was that much under par."

Tom Lincicome, toting Brittany's bag as caddie, wrapped an arm around his daughter. When she looked in his eyes, he was crying, too. Then she looked outside the ropes and found her mother in tears.

With a 5-under-par 66, Lincicome is the leader in the clubhouse in the weather-suspended first round. Her score equaled the lowest by an amateur in the 59-year history of the championship. Her 30 on the back nine tied the championship's record for low score over nine holes and is the lowest shot by an amateur.

If Lincicome, a Seminole resident, holds her position when the first round is completed today, it's believed she will be the youngest player to lead a U.S. Women's Open through at least one round. Se Ri Pak was 20 when she became the championship's youngest winner at Blackwolf Run in 1998.

"Coming in, I just wanted to make the cut," said Lincicome, who just finished her last year of home school and still plays American Junior Golf Association events. "Now, I'm going to try to be top three, maybe try to win it, might as well."

Lincicome leads France's Patricia Meunier-Lebouc by one shot in an opening round plagued by thunderstorms and rain delays. They're among 78 players who finished the first round. Another 78 will come back at 7 a.m. to finish up, including Delray Beach's Beth Daniel at 3 under through 12 holes and Annika Sorenstam at 2 under through 15. The second round is expected to start at 8 a.m.

On a day when Sorenstam was poised to begin a run at winning her second consecutive major and robust crowds flocked to see 14-year-old Michelle Wie, Lincicome stole the show. She's one of 16 teenagers in the event, a U.S. Women's Open record.

"There are a lot of juniors coming up," Lincicome said. "They are going to be amazing players. Whether they go to college or decide to turn pro, the LPGA players better look out, because we're coming."

Wie made eagle at the final hole, rolling in a 9-foot putt to shoot 71. Amateur Paula Creamer, 17, who lost to Cristie Kerr in a playoff two weeks ago, shot 72.

The 66 by Lincicome equaled Carole Semple Thompson's in 1994 (first round) as low score by an amateur

"Brittany's always been able to step up," Tom Lincicome said. "She was an athlete. She played with the boys in baseball through Little League majors. There was none of this girl stuff. It was `Give me the pressure, let me play against the best.'"

Lincicome's parents own and run a preschool. Brittany plans to turn pro later this summer.

"Brittany has never been to a golf academy, and she's never had a sports psychologist," said Angie, Brittany's mother. "She hasn't had all the perks these other kids have. She drove up here to play."

Lincicome's coach works at a driving range. Although Lincicome may not enjoy the extras other top juniors do, she does have a Web site, brittany1golf.com.

"My uncle started that," she said. "He's all into the computer thing. He made the Web site for the grandmothers because they live in West Virginia, and for everyone to find out how I'm doing."